FoI: Publication Scheme
Publication Scheme
The scheme commits the council:
- to proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the council and falls within the classifications below.
- to specify the information and classification which is held by the council.
- to proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information in line with the statements contained within this scheme.
- to produce and publish the methods by which the specific information is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public.
- to review and update on a quarterly basis, the information the council makes available under this scheme.
- to make this publication scheme available to the public.
- to publish any dataset held by the council that has been requested, and any updated version it holds, unless the council is satisfied that it is not appropriate to do so; to publish the dataset, where reasonably practicable, in an electronic form that is capable of re-use; and, if any information in the dataset is a relevant copyright work and the public authority is the only owner, to make the information available for re-use under a specified licence. The term ‘dataset’ is defined in section 11(5) of the Freedom of Information Act. The terms ‘relevant copyright work’ and ’specified licence’ are defined in section 19(8) of that Act.
How information will be made available
The council will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.
Where it is within the capability of the council, information will be provided on the website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on the website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the council will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and provide it by those means.
In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person. Where this manner is specified, contact details will be provided. An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale.
Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where the council is legally required to translate any information, it will do so.
Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.
Charges for information
The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the council for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum.
Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.
Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament.
Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:
- photocopying
- postage and packaging
- the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information
Charges may also be made for information provided under this scheme where they are legally authorised, they are in all the circumstances, including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities, justified and are in accordance with a published schedule or schedules of fees which is readily available to the public.
Charges may also be made for making datasets (or parts of datasets) that are relevant copyright works available for re-use. These charges will be in accordance with either regulations made under section 11B of the Freedom of Information Act or other enactments.
If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information. Please note, Payment is usually made by BACS.
Monitoring and updating the publication scheme
- We monitor how well our publication scheme meets the interests of the public
- We assess what people are asking for
- We assess what further classes of information may be usefully published
- We update the information we have published
- We expect that this publication scheme will be reviewed, regularly or renewed as decided by the Information Commissioner
If you have any comments or suggestions about the publication scheme please contact us. Contact details are in the panel on the right of this page.
The publication scheme - this website - gives you access to information without having to make specific requests.
All the information we have available is organised under the broad areas of the website e.g, 'Housing' and 'Planning' etc, headings you'll see on the home page of the website.
How to find what you're looking for
You can search the website for information that we routinely publish, either by browsing through pages listed under the main headings of site, using the search function (at the top of every page of the site) or through the the A-Z of services ( at the foot of every page of this site.) Visit our searching this site page to find out more.
Our website is packed with information - with many documents available online for you to download. If the information is not available online, details of how you can get hold of it (and any charges involved) will be supplied or a relevant officer's contact details will be provided, who will then be able to advise you.
Alternatively you can make an official Freedom of Information request.
